ENL Oct/Nov

ENL

a bi-monthly digital magazine

ww

w.elham

bahrain.net / aug-sept 09

Thursday, November 12, 2009

http://www.elhambahrain.net














































inside, you will find...UpFront...............................03Elham 21 ............................04Elham 20 *WrapUp*.........06Ala Ghawas Screams.........08Elham 19 *WrapUp*.........09Upcoming Events...............10Photo Day Out 3.................12Elham @ Bud Live..............13Art in Focus........................14Write On..............................17


The ball is already rolling. Elham kicked started its fourth season with a flourish. Thanks to you, we had an amazing evening of music, photography and art at Qal’at AlBahrain Site Museum in September and we’ve got another exciting event for you last month, while this month we’re presenting something a little “different”.

UPFRONT the return of elham

Just a note though on the Photography Day Out. This event has been postponed and will be held in December instead. Firstly, because we hope the weather will get better, and secondly because we’d like more time to prepare a new concept for it. But if anyone out there is already interested, get in touch with us. Seats are usualy very limited on this event and it’s quite popular. So shoot us an email to let us know you’re in and we’ll keep you posted on the developments and details.

In December, we will still have a unique musical event. But this one is under wraps for now as it is being developed as part of another event being organized. All we can tell you for now is that it will be held during the National Day celebrations and will feature some of your favorite Elham musical talents in addition to a couple of international popular bands! So stay in tune for a full announcement on that front.

For now, enjoy the ever-evolving ENL, your now bi-monthly digital magazine offering you all you need to know about Elham, what we’re doing (and what you’ve been up to as well) and the latest happenings in the local art scene. Don’t miss out. Be part of this. Create. Engage. Interact.


ELHAM21 Nov I 24 I 2009

Fashion, music and confessions will take center stage at this month’s (November) Elham gathering. The event is the group’s third monthly event of its latest cultural season, which was launched in September. Entitled “ELHAM21: Secerts Revealed”, the event will feature a group of artists who will produce work inspired by this theme.

It all began during the Elham Arts Festival last May, in which FACT Bahrain magazine introduced the Wall of Secerts wherein members of the public were invited to submit their confessions secretly, and they were then written on a white wall for all to see. The wall will once again be up at this event.

Now, some of these confessions will be turned into pieces of art: artists, photographers and writers are invited to partake in this experiment by selecting one of these confessions and creating a painting, drawing, photograph, poem or story based on it.


ELHAM21 Nov I 24 I 2009The event will also feature the works of young Bahraini fashion stylist Noor Al Shaikh, the creator of the “I Heart Vintage” store. Noor collects vintage pieces of fashion from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s and creates unique outfits from them. She will showcase some of these and tell the stories of these vintage pieces, how she came to find them and what their origins are. Another participant will be 22-year-old Bahraini guitarist Ali Malik, who is a member of the heavy metal bank Re-alive, who will perform a selection of acoustic songs and musical compositions.

As a teacher of french, Stephanie Ravel managed to experience several cultures around the world. Fascinated by faces, photography became her way to capture and witness the diversity of humanity. Her series Visages de Chine has been inspired by her numerous encounters with people throughout this vast country/ continent of China.

Those who wish to participate in transforming one of these confessions into a piece of art can contact the organizer. A selection of the produced artwork will then be considered for publication in FACT magazine.

From 7.30pm

to 9.30pmopen to all


ELHAM20 Oct I 27 I 2009

Elham’s second event of the new season saw us return to a favorite spot, Albareh Art Gallery in Adliya. ELHAM20 was attended by a big crowd and brough together another group of artists that will engage you with their art and talent.

Bahraini 24-year-old Sarah Al Aradi, holder of a Bachelor’s degree in arts and humanities, launched herself into the local art scene earlier this year and has been making waves since. As a lover of Classical Realism Art, Sarah has been developing her own style, influenced by the likes of J.W Waterhouse, William Bouguereau, Frederic Lord Leighton, John White, Rossetti.

Shabana Feroze talked about her sketches and paintings while one-man-band The J.A.M. Project performed for the first time in Bahrain. Started as a side project in December 2008 by Anthony Muthurajah, the band has been busy working on its first recorded, an independent E.P featuring music infusing Metal, Acoustic, Funky and Alternative rock.

The J.A.M. Project


ELHAM20 Oct I 27 I 2009

Playing a selection of acoustic compositions, Anthony received a standing ovation from the crowds at the end of his set. It was a night on which the participants shone and Mahdi Salman was no exception. The journalist, poet and award-winning playwright recited some of his Arabic poetry. Mahdi participated in numerous poetry and theater festivals locally and regionally and has had his works published in a variety of print and electronic publications. Mahdi has also had two books of poetry published in Arabic.


Bahrain’s musical sensation Ala Ghawas returns this month with the release of his third record. Entitled “Screams”, the 5-track EP completes the artist’s trilogy, which he started in 2007 with "Hums" and and followed it with "Whispers" in 2008.

The first single lifted from the album - which was all written and produced by Ala - is the stunning “Red Cash & Blue Blood”

The album features collaborations with a group of brilliant Bahraini musicians including: Mohammed Haddad (Piano), Ahmed AlQasim (Bass Guitar), Esam Hammad (Electric Guitars), Tariq Kamal (Cello) and Hamza Alhaddad (Flute).

Ala is also scheduled to appear in a rare live performance on Thursday, November 19th at the Shaikh Ebrahim Center in Muharraq. The CD will be available at Euphoria and Virgin Megastore as well as online music stores iTunes and Amazon.

ALA GHAWAS SCREAMS in the news


Our first Elham event of the new season saw members of the crowds turned in models in photo shoot, fantastic paintings being interperrted and the early autumn sky rocked by the acoustic musings of a blues-man.

People interacted with the wonderful paintings of artist Yasmine Rasool who invited people to voice their impressions and thoughts on each piece. The outcome was nothing short of intriguing. After projecting some of his photography onto the museum walls, Ahmed Al Zayer staged a live photo shoot out in the terrace by the sea.

And the evening concluded with a performance by Faisal Sheikh, who performed some of his original songs to the adoring fans.

ELHAM19 the wrap


upcoming events

Writing PaintingsOct 20 to Nov 20 @ Albareh Art GalleryA solo exhibition by Algeria artist Hamza Bounoua

TransporterNov 7 to 15 @ Alliance FrancaiseA photography exhibition by Isa Swain

Ala Ghawas - LIVENov 19 @ Shaikh Ebrahim Center (7.30pm)A live music performance by Ala Ghawas

ELHAM21Nov 24 @ Qal’at AlBahrain Site MuseumOur monthly gathering

DreamstimeUntil Nov 20 @ La Fontaine An exhibition of Aboriginal art from Australia


upcoming events

Visual GamesNov 23 to Dec 14 @ Alriwaq Art Gallery

A solo exhibition by Bahriani artist Waheeda Malullah

Rhythmic ResonancesNov 18 to Dec 3 @ Maison Jamsheer

A joint expo by Serena Stevens and Kareem Al Bosta

Book ArtNov 24 to Dec 6 @ Albareh Art GalleryContemporary artist Jamal Abdurahim

presents his books and artwork


Our popular fun-day out for photographers is back for a third consecutive year, this time promising to be even a more challenging and exciting trip across Bahrain, capturing life in unimaginable ways!

Join 2 well-established, professional photographers as your instructor as we set out for most of the day hunting "frames" and "images", pick up a few new tips and tricks, meet other photographers', and enjoy a day out discovering a new side of Bahrain. This year’s instructors are artist and photographer Camille Zakhariya and Bahraini photographer Ahmed Al Zayer. The day will commence with a talk at Qal’at AlBahrain Site Musuem at 9am.

Full details and the day's itinerary will be published in the next few weeks. Keep an eye out on our facebook page for updates. Seats are limited so please register early and confirm your attendance by paying the registration fee in advance.

PDO 3 12 | Dec | 2009

Registration FeeBD10 only


For the past couple of years, Elham celebrates with the music jam night, an event featuring a group of local musicians performing their music to the crowds.

This year we are collaborating with one of the biggest music events of the festive season and some of our hottest talents will share the stage with international, popular acts.

The concert will be headlined by Finley Quaye as well as Jamaican reggae legends The Wailers. Joining the Elham lineup will be Silverlake, who have been steadily growing over the past few months, in addition to the talented Faisal Sheikh, who will perform with a new band on the night. Also joining them from Elham will be Cody, the one-man acoustic rock band.

What’s more, the event will be free to enter. But please note that only 18 and over allowed.

BUD LIVE FESTIVAL 17 | Dec | 2009


ART in FOCUS sarah al-aradi


Responsibilities Overlooked by the Artist Community in BahrainSince my return to Bahrain from a four year stint in Japan, I’ve been keeping myself busy with working on my music (had several concerts and recorded an experimental music album) and patching up the novel I wrote while in Japan. I must say, there are many chances for local artists here to develop themselves and grow, but there is a serious issue that comes to my attention time and time again: an issue I have with the local artist community, which in some cases stifle local artists from establishing themselves as artists rather than simply hobbyists, which I see as being a step lower than amateurs.

WRITE ON hasan hujairi

Qualm #1: “Arts of other forms are less important than ours”I get the impression sometimes that artists of different mediums look at their art-form as being superior to anything else. For example, a poet would see poetry as being ‘better than’ music while a painter would think of himself as being better than a theatre actor. I was very recently in a situation in which some writers reciting stories they wrote demanded of me to conveniently provide background ‘dandana’ (a word I hate in the Arabic language, which just means clumsily making musical sounds) while they read their works. Of course, they gave me absolutely no prior notice of this plan (so that I can at least prepare something adequate) and assumed that I would snap up the opportunity. I had no trouble immediately rejecting their request because I felt, as a musician and as an artist, offended: the music I play is not meant to be meaningless background noises not worthy of taking centre-stage, let alone playing second fiddle. Part of this reason might be the fact that I play the oud, which brings me to my second qualm.



Qualm #2: “Oud players are not really musicians.”Another impression I get, and this is very unfortunate considering the cultural depths symbolised in the oud, is that the oud is never considered to be a musical instrument of worth. It’s just a boring old pear-shaped stringed instrument that was played in old recordings from the 1940s and 1950s, and anything played on the oud after those times can never be compared to what glory it used to represent. It is very important for people to change this misconception, and to immediately resign the oud to being out of date and only interesting for the purposes of novelty. To be honest, I thought that I found more respect in Japan for the oud as a musical instrument than I do here in Bahrain, even though the oud has more connections to the people of Bahrain than it does to the Japanese. Pianists and violinists, and even guitarists are held with more revere – and I don’t understand why. Is this some imported orientalist tunnel-vision we suffer from here?

Qualm #3: Some cultural event organisers don’t have the faintest clue about whatever art it is they are promotingAny organising committee must have a strong understanding of the artists and the art form they are presenting. The organisers must know what artists need to give both a good performance and maintain a strong relationship with the organising committee members for future collaborations. It is also the organising committee’s responsibility to educated the performing artists about their responsibilities and what it is they are expected to do. By having a transparent relationship between the artists and organisers, the level of audience’s awareness and education will considerably elevate.



Qualm #4: “Bahrainis can never be artists, just because of their nationality”I also get a feeling sometimes that many people here, no matter how passionate or talented they are in whatever it is they do, are never given a serious chance to show what kind of artists they can be. It’s always about, “Let’s teach children how to paint or play musical instruments”, but there is never any follow-through to make sure that the children’s progression is maintained. Also, and in many cases, organisations that promote a certain art event are only in it to publicise their own names rather than the artists; this is a serious problem in my opinion, too. Instead, many of the art festivals in Bahrain give more chances to foreigners than to locals just because they think that the locals aren’t good enough. How can the local artists develop if they are never seriously given a chance? I have yet to see a regular art festival in Bahrain that only showcases Bahrainis and Bahrain-based artists – why is this?

Taken from musician and writer Hasan Al Hujairi’s online blog, found at www.hasanjujairi.com


Written, designed & produced by Ali Al Saeed

Photography by Ali Al Saeed & Hasan Al Khunaizi

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All rights reserved 2009. Please do not reproduce or use any of the content without permission.


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ENL Oct/Nov

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Transcript of ENL Oct/Nov